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Three church properties in Auburn have been listed for sale by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester.
The school at Holy Family Church and the school and rectory at St. Alphonsus Church have been listed as part of the diocese's pastoral plan, an ongoing effort to consolidate its resources in the Auburn area in response to declining church attendance, priest scarcity and other parish life trends.
The plan was announced by Bishop Salvatore Matano, who last August asked local parishes to "divest themselves of unnecessary properties and to utilize only those facilities needed to serve the religious, pastoral and spiritual needs of the faithful."
The two schools have been listed by Clare Real Estate, which has posted signs in front of them. Auburn Catholic church officials confirmed they and the rectory are for sale, but declined further comment.
The school at St. Alphonsus, previously St. Joseph School, is listed for $790,000. The 46,812-square-foot school at 89 E. Genesee St. was built in 1949 and served as St. Alphonsus School until combining with Sacred Heart and Holy Family schools in 1973 to form Blessed Trinity School. In 1996, the school merged with St. Mary's School and was renamed St. Joseph. The diocese closed the school in June 2020 due to declining enrollment and financial difficulties.
Among the more distinct features of the school is a 1950s-style soda fountain in its basement that the St. Alphonsus Parish has attempted to raise money to restore in recent years.
According to a 2021 report by a local pastoral planning committee, a building condition survey found the school's roof and windows need to be replaced, which would cost an estimated $1,098,000.
Bishop Salvatore Matano has put the fate of Auburn's Catholic churches back into the hands of their parishes.
A listing for the St. Alphonsus rectory at 10 S. Lewis St. couldn't be found online. According to Cayuga County property records, the two-story, 8,594-square-foot building's full market value is $604,700.
Holy Family School, meanwhile, has been listed for $299,000. It opened in 1928 after the original school, which opened as the original Holy Family Church in 1834, was struck by lightning and caught fire. The 85 North St. school closed in the early 1970s, and ever since has served as an emergency homeless shelter, a community event space and a substitute worship site for the church.
According to the pastoral planning committee's report, replacing Holy Family School's roof is "urgent," drainage there is "a major concern" and insulation needs to be added. The building's masonry, including its cast stone and lintels, has deteriorated over the years due to water infiltration. Inside the building, the finishes are "in poor condition."
The report also said that all proceeds from the sale of real estate owned by the Catholic church, and any additional remaining financial assets, are maintained by the local, surviving parish.
It is uncertain whether the three properties will be the only local ones listed for sale by the diocese. Matano's original announcement called for the pastoral planning committee to recommend area churches for closure. After an extensive review period, the committee recommended closing St. Alphonsus along with St. Francis of Assisi and Holy Family in Auburn, and St. Joseph in Weedsport.
However, in the face of objections from local parishioners, the bishop has declined to mandate any church closures for the time being. He instead issued his request for parishioners to divest themselves of "unnecessary properties," and to present those efforts to the diocese by Sept. 1.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
A 1950s-style soda fountain sits in the basement of St. Joseph School in Auburn.
An Auburn man is facing several felonies charges after forcing his way into the home of a woman who has a protective order against him and trying to rape her, the Auburn Police Department said.
Brandon Michael Lowe, 36, of 26 Sheridan St., Auburn, was charged last week with second-degree criminal contempt, second-degree criminal trespass, second-degree burglary, first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree attempted rape and first-degree criminal contempt, according to the APD.
Police said Lowe entered the victim's home in the city of Auburn without permission on Friday, July 8. An argument ensued, and then Lowe began to sexually abuse and try to rape the woman.
Police said a third party made a call to 911, and police officers arrived to find the abuse was ongoing. They took Lowe into custody.
Lowe was arraigned first at Centralize Arraigned Party court and then in Auburn City Court. He remained in custody at Cayuga County Jail as of Monday afternoon, with bail of $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.
Another 100 years of memories at Hoopes Park will begin Tuesday, when the city of Auburn celebrates the cherished park's century anniversary at that evening's edition of the Summer Concert Series.
The celebration will begin with a concert by local youth organization Perform 4 Purpose at 5:30 p.m., followed by a proclamation by city officials, a performance by Witchy Women of the Finger Lakes and a second concert by classic rock cover band Cruise Control until dusk. The Auburn Rotary Club will serve grilled food at the park's clubhouse, and Poppy's Ice Cream Truck will be on site as well.
The first 600 people at the park that evening will receive a free cupcake or sugar cookie, said Kim Bauso, clerk of the city's Public Works and Parks & Recreation departments.
If the park's history is any indication, the city should have no trouble handing out all those sweets.
Created in 1922, the 15-acre park takes its name from Edward Hoopes, whose family donated the land on Auburn's east side to the city after his death. The land is a small piece of a plot the Philadelphia investor purchased from the Auburn & Owasco Canal Co. Due to a challenge from the Auburn Water Works Co., Hoopes had to go to the state Supreme Court in 1885 to secure his claim to the plot.
The city built the park's clubhouse seven years after acquiring the marshy land from the Hoopes family. In 1931, plans were drawn for vast beds of roses, hydrangeas and other flowers, and a gazebo was donated to the city in 1998 by the late Dr. Joseph Karpinski Sr. The city has also paved an extensive network of walking paths around the park. One circles the pond fed by Hunter Brook, a popular destination for fishing, watching ducks and, until recent years, skating. According to the city's 2016 Parks Master Plan, inconsistent weather patterns have made ice conditions too unpredictable.
The city's work on the park continues, Bauso said, with a complete makeover of the rock garden to maximize its color and beauty. In December, state Sen. John Mannion secured $150,000 to fund the replacement of the park's signage and the construction of a new stone wall along the north end of the pond, as the current wall is crumbling and vulnerable to spillover during weather events.
Those improvements should help the park remain Auburn's most frequently visited, as the city's Parks Master Plan reported. Bauso said clubhouse rentals and other usage is up this year, with 10 weddings, five public events, four walks and three private events. That's in addition to the city's summer concerts there every Tuesday, and Monday Movie Mania events there on July 18 and Aug. 15.
Other hits at the park include Seymour Library's StoryWalk, where pages of a children's book are posted along the walking paths, as well as carriage rides with Royal Promise Productions. Guests are joined on the rides by Disney characters like Ariel and Belle, leading most to sell out. Meet-and-greets with the characters have been added this summer, Bauso said, due to the demand.
Whether it's a concert, a walk or a carriage ride, for 100 years Hoopes Park has been a place to make memories, Bauso said.
"I get stories all the time from the people who live around the park, walk their dogs there, graduation pictures, prom pictures, wedding pictures," she said. "People have a close connection to it."
WHAT: Hoopes Park 100th anniversary party with music by Perform 4 Purpose and Cruise Control
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 19
WHERE: Hoopes Park, 100 S. Herman Ave., Auburn
Joe Artuso enjoys a pleasant spring afternoon with his grandson, Angelo Mitchell, at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
Spring has finally sprung at Hoopes Park in Auburn.
AUBURN — A top state official liked what he saw as he received an update on the city's implementation of its Downtown Revitalization Initiative plan.
New York Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez visited Auburn for a downtown walking tour on Tuesday. The stroll included stops at sites where the city is investing its $10 million DRI award.
The tour began at the Equal Rights Heritage Center, where local officials gave a brief presentation on the status of its DRI projects. According to Christina Selvek, the director of the city's capital improvement program, eight of the 13 projects are either finished or near completion. One of the completed projects is the construction of a new public safety building, which houses the Auburn Fire Department. The facility opened last year.
Rodriguez's tour also included a stop at the Cayuga Culinary Institute, which opened last summer. At Cafe 108 and Auburn Public Theater, the final leg of the downtown swing, he met one of the institute's first graduates.
He saw the State Street Event Plaza, which is nearing completion and will begin hosting live music in August, and went inside Rudolph's Sugar Shack, a candy store and ice cream shop, where he ordered maple walnut ice cream on a waffle cone.
At Auburn Public Theater, Rodriguez learned more about its plans to create a new theater space and make other improvements. The opening of Cafe 108 was supported by the DRI funds.
"There's so much more happening in terms of tying together the public arts component with the downtown restaurants and some of the businesses that are happening along the corridor," Rodriguez told The Citizen after the tour.
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative launched in 2016. The program, which is administered by the Department of State, awards $100 million annually — $10 million each to municipalities in the 10 economic development regions.
In 2018, Auburn was selected as the central New York winner. After it won the $10 million grant, a local committee formed to determine how to invest the funds. An initial list of 18 projects was whittled down to 13.
While most of the projects are underway or finished, some haven't started yet. Selvek explained that the DRI-backed projects at cultural and historical sites were affected by the pandemic. Many of those sites were closed for an extended period during the first COVID wave, so they couldn't begin those projects.
Rodriguez visited one of the historic sites, the Seward House Museum. The museum is moving forward with plans to rehabilitate its barn and carriage house.
With significant progress made in the city, Rodriguez was impressed with what he saw during his time touring downtown.
"It's about that cohesive feel that you want to create through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and you see that ... It really comes through in Auburn in a meaningful way," he said.
NY Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, talks with Auburn Mayor Michael Quill on Tuesday during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez tours the Harriet Tubman Equal Rights buiding with Auburn mayor Michael Quill during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, visits the grounds of the Seward House during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, right, tours the Cayuga Community College culinary facility during a visit to the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, right, talks with Cayuga County legislator Brian Muldrow while touring the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, visits the State Street Park during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, right, visits Rudolph's Sugar Shack during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, enjoys an ice cream cone from Rudolph's Sugar Shack while taking a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, isits the Auburn Public Theater's Cafe 108 while taking a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, center, visits Auburn Public Theater during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez, right, tours the Auburn Public Theater's Cafe 108 kitchen during a tour of the Auburn DRI projects.
The Citizen's political reporter Robert Harding, right, multitasks as dad and political reporter with his eight-month-old daughter, Layla, while interviewing NYS Secretary of State Robert Rodriguez who was in town touring the Auburn DRI projects.
The Weedsport Central School District overpaid two administrators, did not comply with its procurement policy and lacked supporting documentation for claims, according to two audits by the state comptroller's office.
One audit, which focused on Weedsport's payroll, was unable to determine whether the district's former director of curriculum, instruction and assessment was properly paid because the payroll clerk was not given the proper documents outlining the employment agreement.
Other findings included that the district's superintendent, Shaun O'Connor, and Stacie McNabb, the district's treasurer, were overpaid by $590 and $550. Auditors learned that O'Connor and McNabb split the duties of the former assistant superintendent of business, with O'Connor calculating annual salary increases for himself and McNabb without independent oversight.
The audit notes that after the district learned of the errors, the payroll clerk took corrective action.
In a separate audit, the comptroller's team found that Weedsport did not comply with its procurement policy when purchasing goods and services. The district spent more than $2.1 million — $1.4 million for 10 professional service providers and $736,858 in purchases from two vendors — without seeking competition. Separately, the district paid $687,418 to two professional service providers without entering into a contract. It also did not seek required competitive bids for the district's external audit services.
There were also issues with claims paid by the district. According to the state comptroller's office, Weedsport paid 23 claims totaling $49,478 without proper authorization and adequate supporting documentation.
After performing the audits, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli's team recommended changes to the payroll procedures, such as assigning payroll processing duties to different individuals and ensuring that there is a proper review of payroll by someone outside of the process.
The comptroller's office also recommended that the Weedsport school board appoint separate individuals to serve as district clerk and treasurer. McNabb holds both positions.
There were additional recommendations in the second audit looking at the district's procurement policy and claims. The state comptroller's office said Weedsport officials should develop appropriate purchasing procedures, with documentation requirements, for purchases that do not require competitive bids. District officials were also asked to comply with competitive bidding laws.
For the school board, the comptroller's office recommended amending the district's procurement policy with instructions for how officials should secure professional services that are not subject to competitive bidding requirements and guidance for making aggregate purchases.
In letters that were part of the final audits released on Monday, O'Connor and Renee Munn, the school board president, said the district is working on its corrective action plan that will detail how it will address each issue raised in the reviews.
"We are constantly looking at ways to develop and improve our practices and will use these draft reports as tools to improve," they wrote. "The district is in general agreement with the findings included in the draft reports, and we are pleased to see that there is no evidence of fraud or deliberate wrongdoing."
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Read through the obituaries published in The Citizen
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Read through the obituaries published in The Citizen
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The nursing program at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES graduates 16 new nursing professionals during the Practical Nursing Pinning Ceremony.
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